


The Other Half

by XSilverAngelX



Category: Spider-Man (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Developing Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Platonic Soulmates, Romantic Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:27:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27894565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XSilverAngelX/pseuds/XSilverAngelX
Summary: Soulmarks doesn’t have to be romantic. They just signify a deeper connection.
Relationships: Peter Parker/Silver Sablinova
Comments: 6
Kudos: 62





	1. The Mark

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, welcome!  
> So after finishing playing Miles Morales video game I was kinda inspired to replay Marvel’s Spider-Man game for like, don’t know, sixth time haha. I actually did that and remembered how much I’m in love with Silver Sable character in it. AND their dynamics with Spider-Man. 
> 
> Plus, I read one of AlissaShawWrites stories, “Colours”, I don’t know how many times haha. It was a source of inspiration for me as well.
> 
> You know, I was never very good at writing. My experience includes only one unfinished story, written in my mother tongue a few years ago (yeap, English is not my first language, so it will be extremely useful if you show me any mistakes you might find. Practice makes perfect, right xd), but I still decided to try, since, unfortunately, there are still very few stories that feature them as a pairing in the Earth-1048 universe. 
> 
> Warning: Sable may seem a little bit OC in the first chapter. I tried to explain why she is like that. But I will definitely return to her “badass” self xdxd.
> 
> Warning2: this is a soulmate AU, but I wanted to picture it close to reality. I tried at least.
> 
> Please, leave your comments, enjoy and stay safe!

“Hey,” Silver Sable whispered worryingly, approaching Spider-Man, who was lying on the floor in the pool of blood. His suit was ripped apart; she could see ugly cuts and wounds, consequences of the man’s recent fight with Doc Ock. Sable knew it was bad when Spider-Man could barely move on his own. He’d never felt such pain before. Both physical and emotional.

“Hey,” she whispered one more time.

“Where’s Otto?” Spider-Man tried asking. It took him great effort to say these words.

“Gone,” Sable’s voice softened, something that rarely happened to her. Strange feelings were flooding her battered heart. “I would not worry about him right now.” She placed her palm on Spider-Man’s upper arm, trying to provide at least a little comfort while being as gentle as possible. 

Not listening to the words Dr. Michaels said, Sable carefully put Spider-Man’s arm around her shoulder. Dr. Michaels did the same, and they started carrying him out of the room with the help from two Sable International agents. 

Spider-Man grunted as the pain shot through his body with new force, nerve endings screaming in agony inside him, so that his vision began to darken. Spider gathered what tiny shreds of control he had and murmured one word. “F.E.A.S.T.”

Then the world went black.

****

The drive to the shelter was one of the most terrifying rides in Silver Sable’s life. Still not understanding her newfound fondness for Spider-Man, after quite a long time of misunderstanding, hatred, and fighting, she, for the first time, started questioning her mission and the truthfulness of Osborn’s words. Dangerous uncertainty, hovering in the air, concerning Spider-Man’s health didn’t help her confusion. 

She decided to deal with her emotions later; right now, their priority must be saving New-York’s superhero. 

****

He was suffering. Sable hated hearing pained noises that came from him. Her heart was beating faster with every second. 

“Th-thank y-you.” Spider-Man said in a rasped voice. It was a slight relief for Sable; that was a good thing. It meant that he was still fighting. 

She took his hand and held it tightly, murmuring, “You can thank me by not dying.”

And it was when she felt it. The skin on her wrist started burning. A small white spider with the outline of the letter “S” inside it appeared on her porcelain skin. Sable freezes, her hand twitching upwards in an abrupt movement, but she still doesn’t let go of Spider-Man’s hand. Luckily, everybody else present in the room was busy with keeping the man alive, so they didn’t pay any attention to her distress. 

Only now she noticed small areas of exposed skin on his hand, which she was holding close to her heart. And the similar white spider on his wrist.

Matching marks can only mean one thing. They are soulmates. 

Being soulmates doesn’t necessarily mean romantic feelings. A soulmate is someone who you can trust unconditionally. It is a friend, a partner, an only person capable of understanding the pain that their other half went or is going through. It’s the one person who truly accepts you, believes in you, and, more importantly, always forgives you, despite anything you might have done. And forgiveness is one of many things, Sable thinks, she does not deserve.

Everything was going so fast; she didn’t have enough time to let this revelation settle in when a familiar person showed up in a doorway. Of course, Mary Jane Watson, Spider-Man’s girlfriend.

Silver felt a small pinch. Was she jealous? No, definitely not. Maybe? There was a whole lot of questions flowing through her mind. Did Spider have secret feelings for her? Dis she have sudden feelings for him? 

That is a cruel irony of soulmarks. You can’t influence, who is destined to be your other half, but it is your choice whether you want to pursue this possible course and become something more.

Sable couldn’t bear it any longer, so she left. Left without unnecessary words. She needed to pull herself together, to keep the facade of a strong and powerful leader.

Little did she know that, even though being unconscious, Spider-Man, deep inside, felt the sudden absence of comfort and warmth the moment Silver Sable let go of his hand. 

****

Spider-Man woke slowly, making quite, soft noise, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Then it all sank in, Martin Li, the Antiserum, fight with Doc Ock, being on the verge of death. However, there was a glimpse of light in, what seemed like, an eternal darkness: a calming, gentle touch of someone close to him. Spider’s first thought was MJ, the woman he loved for a long time. But it almost didn’t feel right to him, something was different. And then he looked at his exposed wrist and saw it.

The Mark. Little white spider with an outline of the letter “S” inside it. 

Spider-Man, Peter, couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He actually found his soulmate. His other half. 

White color and letter “S” could only mean one person. But how could he know her, after everything that had happened between them? It didn’t make any sense to him. He remembered their first encounter, her showing up in this big helicopter, smart enough to get him to walk right into her trap. Even though they were on different sides, Peter couldn’t deny admiring Silver Sable’s fierceness, strength, her brilliant mind, and also her beauty. She was simply one of the most beautiful women he had the honor to meet. 

Soulmarks doesn’t have to be romantic. They just signify a deeper connection. Did she suffer from same difficulties that he did? Was she really the only person able to see right through him? 

There would be time to answer these questions, right now he had to stand up; Spider-Man must protect his city. Protect his family and friends. He had to stop Otto, his mentor. 

He swung his legs over the edge of a bed, trying to stand up. Unfortunately, his injuries were so severe that even with enhanced healing, Spider-Man couldn’t keep his balance. Of course, MJ was there to catch him. 

“Hey, take it easy!” She exclaimed, but he had to go, knowing that the lives of millions of New-Yorkers, the life of his Aunt depended on him and him alone.

“I need to find Otto .. he has the Antiserum.” Spider-Man collapsed once again, every movement, every word took a great effort. “I don’t know if I can beat him.”

“Maybe you can’t. But maybe Spider-Man needs a little help from his friend Peter.”

Of course. He helped Doctor Octavious build those arms, he was partially responsible for his city’s suffering. However, he also had the chance to make things right, he needed to find a way to expose Doc Ock’s weaknesses and to do it fast. An idea for some suit modifications popped in his mind almost instantly. 

“Thank you, MJ. I simply don’t know what I would do without you.” 

****

Spider-Man managed to rescue Norman Osborn just in time. Despite Mayor’s dislike, he was still just a man, father of Peter’s best friend; Spider-Man would never fall to the level of his foes, who would easily let someone die just because they were not “on speaking terms”. He didn’t want to fight Otto Octavious, not for one second, though he must protect everything and everyone he holds most dear. Maybe Peter would be able to help his mentor navigate through his clouded with hatred mind, to help him see the damage he had done. But sometimes, certain people are just beyond saving.

He knew.

Doctor Octavious, Otto, the man Peter Parker looked up to, knew who was behind Spider-Man’s mask and still chose his need for revenge over their friendship. 

Peter was hurt and tired. Gadgets just failed, parts of his Anti-Ock suit were shattered, but he kept fighting.

Spider-Man never expected someone to help him. He chose this life a long time ago. He accepted the bitter truth that he was almost always alone. But not this time.

“Spider-Man! We got your back!” Peter heard the familiar voice through his comms, which would make anyone shiver, allies and enemies alike. And there she was, arming her pistols, standing in an open door of the helicopter. 

“Sable! What are you doing?! It’s too dangerous. You have to go!” He sounded almost pleadingly.

“No!” Sable answered with determination. “I will not abandon you, Spider-Man. You are not fighting alone anymore!” 

There would be no arguing with Silver Sable. Deep inside, Peter was glad that she stayed. Deep inside, Sable was relieved that he was still alive. But even the presence of his soulmate couldn’t help the pain Otto’s betrayal had inflicted on Peter.

“You should be on my side!”  
“I was..”

“You were my hero.”

“You meant so much to me.”

“We were going to change the world!”

The toughness of the battle finally started affecting Spider-Man; Sable did everything she could to aid him, desperately trying to shoot Doc Ock’s mechanical hands. She could hear the pain in his voice, the kind of pain she knew all too well. 

As time passes, we learn that even those people, who we considered friends or even family, people that weren’t supposed to ever let us down, probably will do so. We try to forget, try to move on, but doing so is like trying to remember someone you never knew. 

Sable understood betrayal, something that after so many years still hurt, but, of course, she would never admit it. Spider-Man was betrayed before; it was almost a part of the job description, but never like that.

“You look tired, Parker.”

“Not tired. Just hurt.” With these words Spider-Man jumped towards Doc Ock, dodging and trying to disable the neural interface. His strength was slowly fading, so being distracted for just one second resulted in him being pinned to the wall of Oscorp Tower by one of Doctor Octavious’s mechanical arms while attempting to hold off the other one. Sable ordered her men to fly closer to have a more precise shot, but she was too late. Spider-Man’s shoulder got pierced through, blood flowing uncontrollably, his agonizing screams affected her. 

“Oh, Parker. If you want to change the world, you have to be the kind of man who can make the hardest decisions.” Otto showed Spider-Man a small, fragile bottle of the Antiserum, almost mocking the wounded hero. “And how can you change the world,” Otto hissed, “when you can’t save yourself. Or the ones you care for.” Next moment one free tentacle was flying in the direction of Sable’s helicopter. Neither did she nor her agents had enough time to react, so when she opened her eyes, all she could see was flaming debris and quickly approaching ground.

“Silver, no!” Spider-Man’s voice faulted as he screamed. His blood ran cold. He just learned who his soulmate was; he wouldn’t allow her to die, not on his watch.

Peter’s emotions were boiling inside; his pain, his anger, they fueled him along with the fear of losing his other half.

“You can’t save me, Parker.”

“Then, I guess, you have to save yourself!” Spider-Man allowed mechanical claw stab his flesh even further, so he had a chance to finally rip the neural interface off Otto’s neck. 

Not really caring what would happen to Doc Ock, Peter leaped off the building with all his strength, desperately trying to use falling debris as an additional boost. 

He had to act fast. Finally spotting Sable, Peter made one more vault. 

****

Sable could hear her heart pounding in her ears. As she swallowed the bitter tang of adrenaline, a strange feeling of calmness settled around her. She accepted the possibility of her death long ago, considering the job she had. Despite the speed she was now falling towards the ground with, the world around her seemed to freeze. She could see the damage she had inflicted on that city. And Silver felt guilty. 

So, apparently, you always have to pay the price. 

Her bill had finally come due. Sable wasn’t scared of death. She just wished to go honorably, helping save the city she had a hand in destroying. Sparks and debris were flying around her. Explosions didn’t help, as well as Sable’s wounds. They were not very severe; she could handle it, not like it would matter in a minute or so. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, preparing for the inevitable end.

Except it never came. 

Sable opened her eyes, her mind snapping back to reality. She panted, harsh, watching as she was swiped away from the unwelcoming concrete. Looking up Silver saw a man she never thought she’d see again. 

“Spider-Man,” Sable breathed, visibly shaken, though trying her best to hide it. 

“Did you really think that I would let you die?” He asked in a soft voice.

Sable’s eyes lit up and then she gripped him tighter, almost hiding into his warm and solid body. 

They landed on a nearby rooftop, not letting go of each other’s hands. They were still experiencing the aftermath of their newly formed bond. There was a static when they stood next to each other. 

“It’s not just static,” Sable’s mother instructed her curious little daughter. “It’s almost like a form of reconnection. Like a long-lost family find each other again. That is the reason why you’d feel the most ardent about you other half for a few days.” Her mother’s words resonated in Sable’s mind louder than ever. 

“Silver,” Spider-Man said with an ache in his voice.

Sable startled. She was rarely called by her first name, only the closest to her had this privilege. Surprisingly, she liked the way it sounded coming from him. 

“We need to finish this.” She held Spider-Man’s hand, interlacing their fingers with a reassuring squeeze. Peter nodded, staring at Silver’s brilliant blue eyes.

“I should go in alone.”

“No, you are not.”

“He might still be dangerous!”

“Does it look like I care?” 

Spider-Man went quite as he looked away, considering Sable’s last words. He met her eyes again and saw there nothing but determination. “I guess, I don’t have a choice, then.”

Peter pulled Silver into his chest, placing his free arm around her waist, as she secured her arms around his shoulders. Then he craned his neck so that he could see her face. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

And they jumped.

****

Spider-Man was badly hurt so their landing was not as perfect as the first time. Losing the balance, both of them ended up on the floor. Peter quickly spotted Doctor Octavious and made his way to him. Sable stood up and readied her pistols swiftly, prepared to fight if necessary. 

Doc Ock was lying on his back, obviously not able to move, the Antiserum next to him. 

“Spider...” Sable began but found herself unable to finish her sentence, because of what happened next.

Spider-Man took off his Anti-Ock helmet, finally revealing the face beneath it. Beside Silver now stood very handsome young man, with messy brown hair and deep chocolate eyes. Right now there was a vail of hurt, and pain, and suffering, so Sable wondered what these eyes looked like in his normal life. 

When Peter took the Antiserum, Otto Octavious managed to catch his hand. 

“Peter ... I saw you as a son. I should’ve known you turn on me, just like all the others.” 

“Turn- ... Turn-?” Peter’s voice started to break, tears forming in his eyes. “I worshipped you! Your mind .. your conscience, wanting to help others .. the way you never gave up!” 

“That’s because men like us have a duty. A responsibility. To use our talents in the service of others. Even if they don’t appreciate it. We have to do what’s best for those beneath us. Whether they understand it or not!”

“No, you’re wrong!” Spider-Man shouted, letting his anger erupt. “You were everything I wanted to be!” He picked up what was left of Doc Ock’s mechanical tentacle and slammed it hard on the floor, saying: “You just ... threw it away!”

He turned away from Otto, desperately wanting to run away from this pain. Sable was by his side momentarily, finding his hand again. Her chest tightened at the sound of his fractured voice. She never heard him sound so vulnerable before, so open, without his mask. 

“You were right, Peter! The neural interface affected my mind. But we can fix it. Together. If you’ll help me.” 

“I’ll do everything I can.” Peter sighed. “I’ll make sure you get the best help.

“No! Please, Peter! They will take my arms! I will be trapped in this useless body! That .. wasn’t me. You promised that you’d never abandon me. And, of course, you’ll rest easy knowing that your secret is safe with me.”

After these words Sable darted forward, ready to shoot Otto for making such threat, only to be stopped by Peter’s hand on her forearm and the look in his eyes.

“You do what you think is best, Doc. It’s all any of us can.“ 

“Peter-?” Spider-Man broke off, looking away, his eyes stinging. He blinked at the tears threatening to spill over.

“Even when it hurts like hell.” He offered Sable his hand, which she took without any questions, preparing to swing with him again.

****

Spider-Man and Silver Sable returned to F.E.A.S.T. and brought the valuable Antiserum to Dr. Michaels. 

“It’s still viable .. but we’ll need the entire sample as a base to produce more doses.” 

“How long will that take?” Peter asked.

“Few hours. Maybe a day.”

Silver Sable stood next to the door, witnessing the entire conversation. Obviously, the woman was close to Spider-Man. Sable could hear his voice cracking again. And suddenly her mind flashed to that horrible night, forcing her to relive one of the worst moments in her entire live. The death of her mother. She remembered sitting next to her, holding her hand. She remembered how her hot tears of grief and loss were falling on her mother’s cold body. 

The war in Silver’s home-country was a whole other story, which she didn’t really wish to share with anyone right now. But Sable understood, what Spider-Man was going though, probably more than anyone.

“What if we use it to cure someone right now?” 

“Then there won’t be enough to cure the others.”

Being superhero is not just about fame and glory. Being superhero means sacrifice, putting the needs of the many before the needs of the few. Deep inside Peter knew what he had to do, but how could he? May was the only family he had left.

“I’ll give you a few minutes.” Dr. Michaels walked past Sable and exited the room. Only now Silver noticed the other person standing near her, Ms. Watson. Dr. Michaels stopped to prompt Mary Jane to give Peter some space. Sable expected him to say the same to her, but instead he told her: “I think it’s best if you stay with him. Right now you are the only one who can actually help him through this.”

Of course, he didn’t mean to insult Mary Jane in any way, but Silver still caught a glimpse of jealousy and passing anger in Ms. Watson’s eyes. How could she even think about it right now? The topic of soulmates and romantic relationships was always a delicate one, but under no circumstance a priority in a current situation. When they were gone, Silver’s attention shifted back to Spider-Man.

“You’re going to be okay, ma’am. I’ve got the cure right here.”

“Take off your mask. I want to see my nephew.” He did what May asked without hesitation.

“You knew?”

“I’ve know for a while.”

“I never wanted you to worry..”

“I did. And I am so proud of you. And Ben would be too. All the people you’ve saved.”

“I don’t know what to do.” Sable could hardly bear it any longer. In a few swift paces she kneeled by his side, pulling him against her, the warmth of her body enveloping Peter. She looked into May Parker’s eyes, preparing to see judgment and resentment for everything she had done, but what Silver actually saw were happiness and awe. 

“Yes, you do. You have to move on, Peter. You found your soulmate.” May took Silver’s hand into hers. Sable tensed for a moment, but then fell into the touch. “And whatever path you will choose to follow, do not ever deprive yourselves of this bond, that will define you both in ways that you cannot yet imagine.”

As soon as May finished, terrible cough shook her whole body. Mastering last drops of strength, she turned her head toward Peter once again. “I love you.” 

And then the line on the heart monitor went flat. 

Peter couldn’t hold his emotions any longer. He cried, not letting go of his Aunt’s arm. 

“Oh, Peter.” Sable murmured against his hair, holding him close. An overwhelming feeling of safety and comfort overthrown Spider-Man. It felt like nothing bad could reach him ever again. Silver ran a hand down his back, moving it in a soothing circles. She held him like that, not speaking, just rubbing his back, until this nagging feel of pain eased at least a little. 

Neither Peter nor Silver knew how long they sat like this, on a cold tile floor of May’s office, holding each other. The only thing they both wanted was peace, even if for a brief moment. 

****

Slowly, but surely the city was returning to normal. Dr. Michaels was successful in establishing mass production of the cure. Empty streets were slowly flooded with life once again. Everybody worked hard, trying to eliminate the damage that was done.

Otto Octavious was now locked in prison, facing life sentence that he deserved.

Miles and his mother volunteered to help at one of the vaccine distribution centers.

Mary Jane was working hard on her next article, always on the move doing research. 

The only one who couldn’t fully enjoy the victory was Peter Parker. 

Today was the funeral of his Aunt, May Parker. He approached her gravestone, knelt on the damp soil, not able to keep his emotions at bay. The majority of people, who wanted to say one last goodbye, had already left. The only ones present, apart from Peter, were MJ, Rio and Miles. There was another person he desperately wanted to see, but all his attempts to find her in the crowd weren’t successful. However, he could feel this tingling sensation, almost like she was right next to him, so Peter didn’t lose hope. He understood why Sable wouldn’t want her presence known. She wasn’t exactly popular among ordinary New-Yorkers after the whole Devil’s Breath ordeal. 

Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. Peter looked up and saw MJ standing next to him, her fingers gripping the fabric of his coat. 

“I’m here for you, Peter.” She said, voice trembling. “All of us are.” MJ gestured towards Miles and Rio.

Peter stood up and cleared his throat, trying to regain some control, remembering that he didn’t have much time to mourn properly. People in his city still needed Spider-Man up on his feet. 

“Thank you.” Peter looked at his Aunt’s resting place one last time, briefly glancing at Uncle’s Ben as well, before he turned and prepared to leave. But some strange feeling almost forced him to look at a far-standing tree. 

Peter finally spotted her, standing apart from them, clearly not wanting to intrude. He excused himself and made his way to Silver, ignoring confused expressions of others. Even though she was wearing black pantsuit covered by black coat, she still looked dashing. 

“I’m so grateful that you have come. Thank you.” His voice shaking.

“I couldn’t do otherwise.”

Peter took a deep breath and let it out slowly. For a few minutes they fell into comforting silence; static still present between them, but it felt different, more calming. 

“I actually wanted to ask you something.” Peter said quietly. “Can you meet me later today on the F.E.A.S.T.’s rooftop? Only if you are avail-“

“I will be there.”

“Okay. Great.” He took her Marked hand into his, squeezing it. All of that still felt very surreal to him. To Sable as well. 

“I think you should head back, others obviously wondering what can we be talking about for so long.” Eventually she freed her arm, half-smiling, sympathy in her eyes. 

“Yeah, you’re right.” Peter sighed. “Thank you again.” He nodded and gave Sable one last appreciative look before joining the others. 

****

Spider-Man sat on the edge of the F.E.A.S.T. roof, dangling his legs. He hadn’t eaten in almost a day, so he decided to swing by his favorite cafe and get a sandwich and two cups of steaming hot coffee. One for him, one for Sable. He wasn’t sure what coffee Silver preferred, but somehow he felt that he had made the right choice. Everything was happening so fast that they didn’t have enough time to just sit and talk about their circumstance. Peter looked at his Marked wrist. It’s a curious twist of fate that his foe turned out to be his other half. Ironic.

“Spider-Man.” 

Peter turned his head and noticed Sable standing near the entrance to the roof.

“Sable, you came!” He exclaimed, voice warm.

“I said that I would, didn’t I?” She asked, sounding surprise. “I intend to keep my promises.”

Peter nodded.

“Please, have a sit.” His eyes followed Silver as she stepped closer to the edge, settling near him carefully. “I brought you a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure what you like, but I hope that will do.” Peter said, passing Sable her cup of still hot latte.

“Thank you.” Silver Sable was taken aback a little. So was so used to doing everything on her own that this small sign of affection stunned her. It’s still felt strange to be near Spider-Man. However, at the same time it felt so right, so comforting that she wanted to be in his presence more than she would normally allow herself. 

An awkwardness was hanging in the air and Silver hated it. She had never felt awkward around him, around anyone, considering her personality and character. Besides, Silver was having hard time understanding why would he accept her after she had branded him a criminal and had been chasing around the city. 

“It occurred to me that we weren’t properly introduced.” Peter broke the silence. He had already taken off his mask in front of Sable before, but it didn’t feel right to him. It wasn’t done because he wanted to. The battle took its toll and Peter just acted with his heart, not his head. Now he actually wanted her to finally look at him properly. Funny thing was that Silver had more or less similar thoughts. 

“I’m Peter Parker, pleasure to meet you.” Peter extended his hand towards her.

“Silver Sablinova, and the pleasure is mine.” She accepted his hand and gave him a handshake. 

“So... What do you think? About us, I mean.” Sable noticed a slight flush on his cheeks when ha asked her that question. 

“You are a good man, Peter. From what I’ve seen, you are kind and friendly. And..” Silver sighed. “You’ve always tried to be both to me, despite my hostility. I’m sure you could’ve fight me on multiple occasions, but you didn’t. That baffles me.” She said, sipping her coffee, which turned out to be really good. 

“Sable, you are my soulmate, I will always forgive you, no matter what. After everything that you’ve done. I forgive you.” Silver felt a wave of shame sweeping over her. She was not worthy of a soulmate like Peter. Sable just stared at him, her heart beating wildly, screaming at her to let go, to ease the hold on her emotions, show him the real Silver Sablinova. But she didn’t. 

Peter, noticing her unease, took Silver’s hand, interlacing their fingers the same way she did during their battle with Doctor Octavious. That seemed to spark something in Sable. As their eyes connected, they could feel that static again, the warmth that always overtook both, when they were close. 

Her skin was so soft. Sudden thought crept into his mind; what if they were actually together? Like a couple. What did “romantic” mean do Sable?  
Peter mentally slapped himself for these ideas. He should really focus on what they had here and now, instead of dreaming of things that would obviously never happen. 

“It’s getting colder, not so comfy to sit on a bare concrete.” Peter said, letting go of Silver’s hand. “I think I’ve stashed some blankets here as well. Give me a minute.” He jumped to the lower level of the roof, frantically digging in his bag. Finally finding what he was looking for, Peter jumped back and set two small but thick blankets near wall, so that it’d be easier for them to sit. 

They’d migrated over to the corner, sitting close enough together that their shoulders were touching. Peter’s arm found Sable’s once again, entangling them. 

“There’s so much we can talk about, if you want to.” Peter says, sounding incongruously happy about it. Silver turned her head and briefly smiled at him, ever so faintly, silently agreeing to his proposition. Of course, she wouldn’t tell him everything, it was still too soon and her walls were still too high, but Peter was content even with what she was ready to offer. 

Just looking to the side and seeing him there, so close, shot little thrills through Silver. It was something new and she found that she enjoyed his touch. 

And they talked. They’d been talking for what felt like hours. At some point they fell into peaceful silence, enjoying these moments since they were so rare for them. 

Sable was lost in her thoughts for a few moments, but when she came back to reality, she looked in Peter’s eyes and saw them gleam. Almost like there was some kind of light. She blinked and realized that was actual light, a bright orange reflection dancing there. 

Silver turned her head and saw it. A breathtaking fiery orange sunset, hovering at the horizon, pulsing and alive. 

“This why I invited you here. The scenery is simply-“

“Stunning.” Sable finished the sentence for him, mesmerized by the sunset. “Almost feels like home.” Memories of Symkaria always saddened her. 

“Speaking of which. I must leave New-York.” Peter visibly disappointed by these news. Silver stood up and walked right to the edge, arms crossed. “Recent events ... give me pause. Your rescue of Osborn, despite his hatred ... it affected me. As well as the fact that you are willing to forgive me. After everything I have done to you.” She paused for a moment, carefully choosing her next words. “I need to return home, reflect on this life I choose.” 

“You can stay for a while, you know.”

“I can’t. Leaving .. is the right thing to do. I’m sure you understand.”

“Yeah, yeah, I do.”

****

As the sun was just barely visible, Spider-Man and Silver Sable slowly made their down on a busy street. Sable instructed her agents to prepare the plane to Symkaria and to escort her to the airport in advance, so when Peter lowered them both, he saw that a group of Sable International agents had already been waiting for her. 

“I think I’m actually gonna miss you and your death troopers.” Spider-Man said teasingly.

“Unfortunately, my agents will stay. Though I question our work, they do not, and Osborn continues to pay. I’m sorry.”

“So close to being good news.”

“Indeed.”

“Well, at least I hope, they will stop trying to kill at every possible second.” 

“We shall see.” A touch of smile appearing on Sable’s lips.

“Hey. That’s not very nice, you know.” She huffed a laugh, then covered his hand with her own, nodding. 

“I will miss you and your bizarre witticism, Spider-Man. Until we meet again.”

To be honest, she really wanted to stay, wanted to get to know him better. At least there was hope that she would have this chance one day.

Head held high, Silver Sable walked past him, toward the vehicle, spine straight. Everything in her stance clearly screamed “power”, like the “more human” part of her, that Peter witnessed just a few minutes ago, didn’t exist. Peter could see her men glancing at their boss, looking a little bewildered. Well, that’s understandable, it was truly strange to see Spider-Man and Silver Sable together.

Before entering the vehicle, Sable stopped for a moment and looked at her soulmate one more time. Holding her gaze, Peter said, “Until we meet again, Sable.”


	2. Silver Lining

Mary Jane Watson, Associate editor - begin research notes.

“What started as a museum heist a few days ago has turned into a brutal assault on the city. And the casualties keep piling up. Last night, after almost killing Maggia Don Hammerhead, Captain Yuri Watanabe was forced into administrative leave. Sources say she told the chief, “This won’t stop me.”

Note: follow up on this later. Feels like this isn’t the end of her story. 

“Meanwhile, Hammerhead, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was revived and escaped custody. Police are searching for him, but there are no solid leads. His men are continuing to target Sable weaponry and vehicles, including something called “Project Olympus”. From what we can gather, Project Olympus is an Oscorp-and-Sable funded initiative. Bio-enhancement technology, meant to transform other people into “indestructible super soldiers.” Hammerhead is ruthless and insane, and now apparently indestructible. But first things first - figure out where Hammerhead is hiding. The question is, what are gonna do when we find him?”

****

It’s been approximately four months since the Devil’s Breath crisis. The city has finally come back to normal. People were walking on the ever-busy streets; the sun was shining; life went on. 

Spider-Man was busy as usual, protecting New-York. The time had passed in a blink of an eye for him. Many things had changed, some for worse, but, fortunately, even more for the better. He and Mary Jane recently decided to take their relationship to the next level and move in together. Peter, for the first time in almost a year, felt content with his life. Having a person you love by your side is a blessing. Just knowing that MJ was a part of his life again brought a small smile on Peter’s lips. Colours seemed brighter; a phone call or two during the day helped both to get through a tiring work.

However, Spider-Man’s mind still wandered back to the days of Devil’s Breath. He thought a lot about Doctor Octavious and Martin Li. He cherished every small thing that reminded him of his Aunt, every photo, every item she had left.

Peter also thought a lot about Silver Sable. He was trying very hard to suppress a smile when he remembered the time they spent together at the F.E.A.S.T. rooftop. Peter told MJ about his connection with Sable and was taken aback when Mary Jane’s initial reaction was a little hostile. He sincerely hoped that MJ would understand that she was his only love and partner. Sable was a very intriguing woman, undoubtedly drawing a lot of attention to her persona, but Spider-Man considered her just a trusted ally and friend. After some time, MJ seemed to accept the fact and just enjoy their relationship with Peter.

****

Today started for Spider-Man from an unpleasant encounter with Hammerhead’s gang, trying to steal as many pieces of Sable’s equipment as possible. All of them were wearing Sable International armor, equipped with shields, jet packs, and many other cool things. Obviously, police officers were no match for them, so Peter was ready to provide help.

When Spider-Man thought that every Hammerhead thug was accounted for, out of nowhere, another jet pack guy appeared, grabbing one of the police officers, and turned to Peter, saying: “Come on, Spider-Man, let’s play ‘save the pigs’.” And then he leaped off on the rooftop of the Oscorp plant. 

“Well, that’s just rude.” Spider-Man murmured, following them.

Of course, it was an ambush.

****

Quickly dealing with a dozen more jet pack guys, Spider-Man approached the one who was still holding the poor officer hostage, threatening to drop him. 

“Hey, hey, hey.”

“Come closer, I dare you!”

“Is this just a regular dare or a double-dog da-“ Peter didn’t finish his sentence because he got interrupted by the appearance of a jet. 

“Hell? Is that yours?”

“No, but it would be so awesome if it was.” 

All of a sudden, Spider-Man felt a familiar sensation. Could that be ...?

The cockpit opened up to reveal one and only Silver Sablinova. She immediately fired at Hammerhead Thug, which caused him to release the police officer and send him falling towards the ground. Spider-Man acted fast. Webbing up the thug to a nearby smokestack, he saved the officer by catching him with a web line and attaching it to the thug. 

“You okay?” Spider-Man asked the cop.

“Yeah, fine.” He said.

Meanwhile, Sable flew closer to Hammerhead’s man and hopped out of the cockpit, aiming her pistols at him. Peter swiftly jumped back, hoping to talk to Silver.

“Long time, no see.” 

“Who do you work for?” Sable demanded from the thug, not paying any attention to Peter.

“Hmph.” He definitely didn’t want to answer.

“He works for Hammerhead.” Peter told her.

“Where is this Hammerhead?” Silver asked, now pointing one of the pistols at Spider-Man. 

“Whoa, whoa. Can’t we, like, go grab a coffee and catch up like normal people?” Spider-Man asked, confused. Facing a gun wasn’t the way he had imagined they would meet again. “By the way, I love your new hover-crafty thing.” 

“Tell me everything you know.” Sable demanded.

“You know, I talk a lot better without a gun in my face.” Peter scolded.

“You have three seconds.” Threats, nice.

“Just put the guns down.” Spider-Man attempted to reach Silver’s consciousness once again.

“One.”

“Are we really gonna do this?”

“Two.” Now both her pistols were pointed at him.

“Six! Nine! Eleventy-seven!” Peter joked, which only annoyed Silver Sable even more.

“Three!” Sable exclaimed angrily as she jumped off her jet, leaping off the webbed thug, landing perfectly in front of Spider-Man. She fired multiple shots without hesitation. Spider-Man dodged them all, offended a little that after everything they went through, she fell back to her old ways. Shoot first, talk later.

“Sable, you seem a little stressed. Can we do some relaxing breaths? In. Out. In. Out.” Peter joked, evading Silver’s very painful kicks. 

“Just tell me where to find Hammerhead.” She snarled.

“I wish I knew.” Peter said sincerely. “But maybe if we stop punching each we can work together!” Spider-Man suggested, firing web shots to incapacitate Silver. Little did he know about the strength Sable possessed, so she tore the webs quite easily.

“There is no ‘we’.”

“You hurt me. What did I do wrong here? Wait, have you been listening to Jameson’s podcast?”

“You are supposed to be the protector of this city! And yet you have allowed this Hammerhead to still all of my weapons and supplies.”

“I didn’t allow anything. I’m trying to stop him from stealing your stuff.” Peter argued. 

“Then you are failing. Badly.”

“Well, you are not wrong.”

The next accusation caught Peter by surprise.

“Who knows, perhaps you are secretly working with him. Maybe you were just using the connection we have all along.”

“Wow, just wow. Now I’m insulted!”

After a series of kicks from Sable, Spider-Man decided to use some ‘big guns’, metaphorically speaking. Impact web, to be exact. Silver didn’t put her shield up in time, so after a few seconds, she found her arms webbed to a nearby wall. Peter appeared in front of her right away, trying to hold her down.

“Sable, just stop! Silver! Please!” Spider-Man almost begged, looking right into Silvers brilliant blue eyes. “All I want is for you to listen to me! I would never betray you!”

“I do not know you!” She said, still being very angry. 

“Obviously.”

“And I do not trust you!” That hurt because Peter sort of trusted her.

Sable used her free legs to kick Spider-Man in the stomach, which caused him to release his hold on her. Silver used this window to get rid of the webs. Peter jumped back up but didn’t notice the coming spin kick, so he fell to the floor once again.

“You will stay out of my way or suffer the consequences!”

“Stay out your way while you do what?” Asked Spider-Man.

“While I find and kill Hammerhead.” Sable answered. 

“Good luck with that. He doesn’t die so easily.”

“He has not met me!” The Sable grabbed Spider-Man and smashed him to the ground, arming her pistols again, only to be distracted by the Hammerhead thug escaping.

“Damn you!” Silver cursed and sprinted to her jet to chase after the thug. 

“What happened to you? I thought you are a good guy.”

“I’m good at what I do.” Sable exclaimed, jumping into the cockpit. “But I’m not a guy.” Sable closed the protective glass and was preparing to fly away.

“Lost in translation, I guess.”

****

That went well. 

Definitely not the way Peter imagined their reunion. He needed to bring MJ up to speed. Maybe she had managed to dig some more information on Hammerhead.

“Hey, MJ. Guess who’s back in town.” Spider-Man said.

“Silver Sable. I know.” Mary Jane answered.

“How do you know?” Peter asked.

“It’s my job to know things. So I imagine she is here to stop Hammerhead from stealing all her shipments.” MJ guessed. “Which is good, maybe you guys can team up, and she will go back to Symkaria once it’s over.” 

“Yeah, that doesn’t feel very likely to me.” Peter told her, sounding disappointed. 

“Why not?”

“Well, she isn’t in the mood. She is angry. Like, very angry. Shooting around everything and everyone.” Said Spider-Man.

“Hm. Listen, I’m investigating the civil unrest going on in her home country. I think there is a huge story behind it. And it’s probably a reason why she is so pissed.” MJ suggested. 

“Right.” Not willing to talk about Silver further, Peter changed the topic. “Did you find anything new on Hammerhead?”

“Not really. Only that he is mostly after some kind of “Project Olympus” stuff.” She told him. “Since it can turn people into indestructible half-humans half-cyborgs, I fear he may have undergone some significant improvements.” 

“Yeah, that’s what really scares me.” Peter sighed.

“Anyway, I gotta go, Pete. Stay safe, please.”

“Always. See you at home, MJ.”

Peter sighed, really annoyed at the whole situation. He just fixed their relationship with MJ, which wasn’t that easy, especially after he found his soulmate in the form of Silver Sable, who, out of hand, went from holding hands back to shooting at him at first sight. Also, the whole Black Cat situation. Her fake pregnancy and supposed death. 

He needed to distract himself, so Peter decided to venture into the city for a bit. 

****

Spider-Man was right in the middle of chasing after the remaining trucks loaded with Sable’s weapons when Silver herself showed once again in her white-armed jet and started shooting, not caring about pedestrians or Peter, who was swinging nearby. The explosion sent him flying right into the building. 

“She’s gonna kill someone.”

Oh, no, they were driving through the park. Sable still kept on shooting, potentially risking the lives of innocent people. Spider-Man tried to talk her out of this.

“Silver, what are you doing? You’re just escalating things. Let me handle the rest of these guys!” Peter started to get really upset with Sable’s behaviour. 

“No. They cannot escape with this equipment.” She sounded desperate; Peter never really heard her like that before.

The situation got worse when Hammerhead’s guys decided to send in drones in order to take Sable down. She could get hurt. So Peter web-zipped to Silver’s jet and took them all out. 

There was one last truck to deal with, and then he definitely needed to find a way to calm Sable down. Otherwise, she would annihilate not just the Financial District. More like half of New York. 

When Spider-Man finally caught up to the last vehicle, Sable saw an opportunity to overtake it to have a clear shot. Once she managed to do that and was ready to fire, sudden hesitation overthrew her. What if she would heavily injure Peter? She wouldn’t forgive herself if she did. But the next thought was all about her fallen country, her people, who she must protect. And to do that, she had to stop Hammerhead. Whatever the cost. So she took her chances and fired.

The truck flipped over, however, the driver was still alive. Silver Sable lowered her jet and jumped down to interrogate the man. She put a gun to his head, demanding Hammerhead’s location. 

“If I talk, he’ll kill me. So you do what you gotta do.” Sable would gladly fulfil his wish. The people surrounding them watched in horror as Silver was just about to pull the trigger. 

Luckily, Spider-Man jumped just in time and yanked her hand away from the thug.

“Whoa-whoa.” Silver shot him a threatening glare but didn’t attack. 

“Look, we both want the same thing. If we work together, we find him. Trust me.” Said Spider-Man. 

Silver just freed her hand and turned away.

Peter sighed. “Listen, I understand why you are doing what you’re doing, but there is another way.” He grabbed Silver by her upper arm, gently forcing her to face him again. When Sable didn’t respond, Peter just took her Marked hand into his.

“I would never betray you. Nothing should influence our bond.” Peter whispered, taking into account the number of people around them. 

“Right. We work together. Like partners.” She shook Spider-Man’s hand firmly. Silver even gave him a “friendly” pat on the arm. It was the perfect cover to place a camouflaging tracker on him. 

Spider-Man, not suspecting a thing, casually asked, “So you’ll call me?”

Silver Sable just jumped back into her jet and flew away without a word. 

****

Thanks to the tracker Sable put on him, she followed Peter to one of the trusted Hammerhead’s top men, Tony. 

“Hey, Spider-Man, you see that Sable chick, you tell her my boss wants to have a sit-down.” Tony muttered. 

“Yeah, I could, but she doesn’t really listen to me. Or anyone.”

Silver decided it was time to announce her presence by basically appearing out of thin air as she turned her cloaking technology off. 

“Give me the address.” She ruthlessly demanded.

“Colexco Building, rooftop.” 

Spider-Man overheard Hammerhead’s guys talking about a trap for Silver. You didn’t need to be a genius to understand now where they had set it up. Unfortunately, Sable being Sable, neglected all of his warnings.

“Sable, you’re headed into a trap!”

“It does not matter, as long as Hammerhead is there.” 

“You don’t get it, I’m trying to keep you from getting hurt.” 

Silver felt a surprising warmth swell in her chest as she heard the genuine concern in his voice. But she was a strong woman of many skills. 

“I can take care of myself.” She said, continuing her way to Colexco.

Spider-Man was desperately trying to catch up to Sable’s jet, but even with his super-speed, he was incapable of doing so. When Peter finally reached the Colexico Building and was running up on the wall to get to the top, he heard a loud noise and spotted a smoke. Finally reaching his destination, he sat on one of the pillars and witnessed how Hammerhead’s thugs were firing at Silver’s jet, which was caught in some kind of energy field.

“Oh, hey, look a trap. If only we had some kind of advanced warning.” 

“I can handle this.”

“I’m sort of tempted to sit back and watch. But that would just be petty.”

He freed Silver Sable by destroying power generators, and together they finished all of the thugs on the rooftop. She even complimented him on good work. Next, Peter swung onto Sable’s jet, begging her to get out of there. Silver almost agreed to do that when Hammerhead showed up, causing the explosion, debris from which damaged one of the jet’s engines. Maggia Don modernised himself beyond recognition, looking like a cyborg. The only human part left was his head. When Hammerhead jumped on the jet, Spider-Man understood that the time was of the essence. He had to push Hammerhead off the jet, otherwise all of them could die. 

Unfortunately, Peter didn’t understand the extent of improvements Hammerhead had, so Spider-Man was quickly overpowered by the cyborg, who currently was holding him dangerously close to the spinning blades.

“See you in hell, bug.”

Sable tried to stabilise her jet, but it didn’t work, so she just hopped out of the cockpit, arming her pistols and shooting at Hammerhead.

“You will NOT hurt him!” She yelled, truly scared for Spider-Man’s life this time. The luck wasn’t on their side today. Hammerhead grabbed both Spider-Man and Silver Sable, with no chance of escape.

“Two for one, my lucky day.” Exclaimed Hammerhead, preparing to hit them both with the metal plate in his head. 

Spider-Man turned his head to Sable, lightly grabbing her hand. Only a miracle could save them right now as a hit of such force will likely be lethal, especially for Silver. Peter thought a lot about her being his soulmate. It was weird, terrifying in its own way, but at the same time totally amazing. Even though they didn’t have enough time to truly get to know each other, he was certain that underneath this powerful, angry facade hid a woman with a good heart who understood the principles of honour and justice. Still being a little bit offended by the way Sable chose to tackle this situation, deep inside, Peter saw why she did it, knowing about what was happening in her country from David. 

Next moment something happened, that none of them was expecting. Black Cat jumped out of nowhere, quickly grabbing Peter and leaping off with him in the unknown direction. As a result, Spider-Man loosened the grip on Sable’s hand, which left her falling back in the cockpit of her unstable jet. Luckily, Silver Sable survived the crash with some minor injuries but was kidnapped by the cyborg Maggia Don.

****

Meanwhile, Black Cat dropped shocked Spider-Man on a rooftop. Spider-Man always doubted that Felecia had died, almost always feeling her lurking nearby after the accident. 

“How-, How are you-“

“Did you honestly think that I was dead?” Black Cat inquired.

“No.” Peter sighed, bringing a small smile on Felicia’s lips. “How did you find me?” He asked.

Black Cat came closer to Peter and sneaked her hand around his neck, then gently cupping his cheek. She felt Spider-Man stiffening for a moment as he reacted to sudden intrusion. Felicia just smiled at him and moved her hand down to his upper arm. “The same way she did.” She said, ripping a small invisible tracker from his costume and dropping it to Peter’s palms. “Watch out. That girl has trust issues.” 

“Wait. Sable!” Spider-Man exclaimed. “Where is she? Didn’t you rescue her too?” He demanded, rather aggressively.

“Easy, Spider.” Black Cat put both hands up. “I was lucky just to grab you and disappear.”

“This is not a game. I know you, Felicia. I know your tricks. You could’ve done more, if you wanted to.” Peter accused. 

Black Cat was stunned by the way Spider-Man cared about Symkarian mercenary. Of course, Spider had a big heart and would always worry about everyone, but something was different.

“Why do you even care so much? After everything she had done to you.” Felicia wondered.

There was no point in hiding anymore, Peter thought. He sighed heavily and approached Felicia, revealing his Marked wrist.

“I didn’t expect this at all. You are quite a ladies' man, Spider.” Black Cat teased. “Here.” She pulled Peter close and gave him a flash drive. “Everything you need to know about that ugly thing. Go, Spider. Save your girl.”

“She isn’t ‘my girl’.”

“Hm. Sure.” Whatever Spider-Man thought, Felicia could clearly see his attraction to Silver Sable. Even if he hadn’t understood it still, it was there. Call it female intuition.

Black Cat was already prepared to leave when another thought popped into her mind.

“One more thing.” Felicia turned to Spider-Man again. “His head. Not as strong as you think.” And then she jumped off the roof, zipping to the closest building. 

Peter didn’t waste any time and studied the information on that drive, discovering the possible location of Sable.

****

According to the data on the drive Black Cat gave Spider-Man, Silver was kept in one of the biggest Hammerhead hideouts underground. When Peter got there, he finally saw how many supplies, weapons, and technologies Hammerhead stole from Sable. No wonder she chose to come to New York to deal with this situation herself. 

After exploring the main area of Hammerhead’s base, Peter traveled deeper into the sewers and finally was able to locate Silver. 

Her agonising screams broke Peter’s heart. He could almost feel the pain she was now going through. The sound of what appeared to be a drill made Spider-Man furious. He made a vow that Hammerhead and all of his goons would be locked up in prison for the rest of their pitiful lives for what they had been doing to his soulmate. 

Barely keeping his emotions at bay, Spider-Man quietly freed Sable from electric binds. Summoning remnants of her strength, Sable kicked and punched her torturer in the face, taking him out. She could’ve been doing it for a long time, but her wound caused her to collapse because of intolerable pain. Peter rapidly jumped down and approached Silver, who was lying on the floor, gasping.

“You came back for me.” She looked at him, confused.

“Of course, I would. Now lay still for a moment.” Spider-Man kneeled, slipping his hand very carefully under Sable’s neck. Once he managed to get his hand all the way to her shoulder blades, Peter lifted Silver ever so slight, trying to cause as little pain as possible. He knew that Hammerhead would torture her, trying to extract information, so he came prepared. Spider-Man brought a numbing shot and some bandages, anticipating the probable fight with Hammerhead’s goons, or at least, complicated escape. 

Silver took a sharp breath when Peter gave her a shot. After a few seconds, she could feel pain easing. Then he started working with bandages. Her wrist was injured pretty badly since being held by electric handcuffs definitely wasn’t a pleasurable experience.

“There, all done.” Spider-Man said, standing up and stretching his hand to Silver, which she quickly took. 

“Why are you doing this?””Because I need you.” His gaze was fixed on a woman in front of him.

“I work alone.” She told him, shaking her head.

“I used to say the same thing. I know what’s happening in Symkaria, I know why this means so much to you.”

“You think you know, but you do not know.” Sable turned her back on Peter, grabbing her pistols and walking away.

“What else can I do to make you trust me?” Spider-Man exclaimed. He was clearly frustrated. They were soulmates, after all. Weren’t they supposed to trust each other unconditionally? He swiftly caught up to her, grabbing her hand. Sable tried to free herself from his hold after giving him an annoyed and threatening look, but Peter didn’t allow her.

“Listen, back on the roof of Oscorp Tower, you told me that you have my back, that I’m not fighting alone anymore.” Sable’s eyes softened slightly as she remembered that fight and how perfectly they matched together as partners. “So now it’s my turn to tell you. Silver, I’m not letting you fight Hammerhead on your own. I’m not.” Peter said barely above the whisper, but with determination.

Silver heard his words, which made her heart race, but for some reason, her response just wouldn’t form.

“I think I know how to take down that monster, but I can’t do that alone.” Peter made a final attempt at convincing her to team up, showing Silver the flash drive Black Cat gave him.

One after other, thoughts were flying through Sable’s mind. Once again, Peter showed her only kindness. Eventually, Silver gave in and covered their locked hands with her free one. 

“I’m sorry.” Silver mumbled, losing herself in this tender moment.

Peter shook his head, filling his word with sincerity. “And I told you, no matter the circumstances, I will always forgive you. I stand by every word.”

Peter was learning more about Sable every minute they were together, and one thing he was now sure of was that he shouldn’t underestimate the depth of Silver’s emotions, her affection. She might not show them like everyone else, but she undeniably felt it so that Peter couldn’t be fooled anymore. 

They were suddenly enveloped by a very familiar, but unfortunately, forgotten feeling. The static, the warmth. After being separated for months, they felt whole once again. 

Suddenly Spider-Man and Silver Sable heard voices and blaring alarm, breaking the moment. Peter jumped in front of Sable as fast as he could, shielding her with his own body. Normally Silver would be offended, since she could easily take care of herself, but with Peter, it was almost sweet. 

Before they knew it, space was filled with Hammerhead’s enhanced soldiers.

“Okay, here is the plan. I-“ Spider-Man didn’t finish his sentence, as Sable jumped down, already taking out three guys.

“Good plan.” He murmured, joining her.

****

Peter never felt so in sync with anyone as much as he did with Sable. They complemented each other perfectly. Without words, Silver trusted Spider-Man enough to let him throw her towards the enemy so that she could knock him out. It felt good.

“That was awesome! High five!” Peter exclaimed.

‘What a child.’ Sable thought and, passing by him, went to computers. Spider-Man jumped on top in a blink, still stretching his palm. “You know you left me hanging, right?”

Ignoring Peter’s words, Silver silently gestured for him to give her the flash drive. Sighing, Spider-Man complied.

“There are medical records in here.”

“Yeah, mostly about that metal plate in his head.”

“Carbon steel.”

“Super strong, pretty sensitive to-“

“Heat!” Both of them said in unison. Peter, not wishing to give up, raised his hand again.

“I have an idea.” Sable said.

“I solemnly swear to do whatever you tell me to.” Peter promised.

“I will call soon.” Silver slapped his hand really hard and then left.

Hearing Spider-Man hissing in pain, Sable couldn’t hide a small grin in her triumph.

****

After successfully rescuing Silver and even persuading her to work together, Peter’s mood improved significantly. They still had a lot to discuss with Sable, but at least they are talking properly again. 

Swinging around the city, he decided to call Mary Jane.

“Hey, honey, how was your day?” Peter said in an overly cheerful voice.

“Busy. Did you find anything useful at the location you mentioned?”

“Yeah, turns out Hammerhead had been stashing all those stolen Sable goods underground. Found a lot of her stuff. And Silver as well, thankfully she wasn’t badly hurt.” He said.

“Right.” Of course, MJ was glad that Sable was alive and well. Still, after recent development in the relationship between the mercenary and Peter, MJ started feeling something she hadn’t felt in a long time more often. It was the way Peter talked about Sable, saying how kind and cool she actually was on the inside. “Listen, I’ve been digging into this Symkaria thing. It’s something I feel I need to be a part of. My boss agrees.”

“Wait, you’re going to Symkaria? When?” Spider-Man asked worryingly, nearly falling from the edge of a roof he was now sitting on.

“Tonight. Pete, those people, they are helpless, all alone, in the middle of a war zone. Other countries are ignoring this crisis, including ours. Maybe if I document what’s happening and share it with the world, it will change things. Save lives.” MJ said. No matter her attitude to Sable, she would never deny the opportunity to help.

“I know you can handle yourself, but MJ... it's a war zone. I’m scared for you.” Peter said seriously.

“I understand. But do you trust me?”

“You know I do.”

“Then we are good. Can you find a minute and see me off at the airport at 20:00?”

“Of course, hon.” Peter breathed out.

“Thanks, Tiger. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

****

Later Spider-Man met with Sable once again. She brought him to her cloaked base in the city, which no one knew about before. Together they proceeded to preparing the jet for the upcoming fight with Hammerhead. 

The battle itself didn’t last very long but was excruciatingly tiring as well as almost a failure since Hammerhead managed to damage the laser, so it malfunctioned. In the end, thanks to Silver’s quick thinking, she and Spider-Man were able to defeat cyborg Maggia don. And blew up yet another Sable International jet. Peter wondered whether Silver had a hidden jet assembling line as well. 

“That was fun.” Peter turned to Silver, who was just looking at Hammerhead’s blazing body. “Hey, you have dinner plans? I can make a hell of a chicken curry.” Did he really just invited a princess of a European country, who could easily shoot virtually anything and anyone to have a home-cooked dinner with him? Smooth, Pete, smooth.

“I must return to Symkaria.” Silver answered after a few seconds of silence. However, she actually considered his proposal.

“Right, you have a war to fight.”

“I do not like to fight. I’m doing it in order to protect my people.” Silver sounded sad, mentioning the war in Symkaria. 

“That’s what heroes do.” Peter caught up to her, catching her hand. It somehow turned into their symbolic gesture of support and comfort. 

“I’m no hero. But you have taught me a few things.”

“Really, like what?” He wondered.

“Like how to disarm my enemies with bad jokes.” Silver smirked.

“Actually, they are good jokes, but I understand humour can be subjective.” They both laughed.

“Thank you, Peter, for everything.” Sable looked down at their joined hands and squeezed his even tighter. After that, she eased her hold, indicating that it was time for her to go. But Peter didn’t let her. Instead, he took her other hand and pulled Silver closer to him. Only now she realised how close they had been standing to each other. She looked up, wondering what he was planning to do. Peter slid his hands around her shoulders and embraced Sable affectionately. Silver froze as she felt his hands secure around her, so she just stood, not doing anything.

“Oh, come on, Silver. I know you want to.”

He was right. She wanted to. So Sable swallowed that shaking feeling within her and let her walls fall down a bit, enjoying the comfort and the heat that was blooming inside. It reminded her how they sat together, holding each other after Peter’s aunt’s death. She remembered the warmth, the feeling of being safe. She liked it, so Silver finally returned the hug, hiding her blushing face in the crook of his neck.

“I will miss you, Silver. Hell, I’m missing you already” Peter said. Sable just slightly chuckled.

“I will miss you too, Parker.”

Sable allowed this moment to linger much longer, surpassing any “appropriate” barriers. Peter didn’t seem to oppose. 

When Silver opened her eyes, she noticed slow movement where Hammerhead’s body was lying. At first, she thought it was her agents, assessing the situation, but then she peered into the fire again and realised that it was Hammerhead’s arm moving. The arm with a laser blaster attached to it. Spider-Man was so enveloped in the moment he and Silver shared that his Spider-sense drowned in the sensation of their bond. 

“Peter, look out!” Silver yelled, pushing him away from the blast with all strength she had.

Spider-Man swiftly snapped back to reality, noticing Hammerhead’s blaster going off. He quickly web threw the closest barrel, hoping it would finally render the Maggia Don unconscious. 

“Why does he always have to come back somehow? We really need to find his “switch off” button, right, Sable?” The only response he got was complete silence. “Sable?”

When Peter turned back to her, his eyes went wide.  
In  
“Silver.” He breathed, freezing on the spot.

He stared at the ground, where the body laid completely still.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Sorry for my absence. This chapter was very difficult to write and I can’t even explain why. And I kinda don’t think it turned out good, so.... apologies everyone. Hope that I will redeem myself next time haha  
> Much love :)


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